KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday accepted the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Miftah Ismail for a recount in NA-249 (Karachi West-II) where a by-election was held on Thursday and fixed it for hearing for Thursday.
However, the commission rejected a similar request made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) contestant Amjad Afridi who had approached the commission, raising objections to the results of 21 polling stations while claiming rigging at two polling stations.
In its order, the ECP chief election body observed that Ismail has now “submitted an application under Section 95(6) of the Elections Act, 2017 before the commission wherein he has requested for a complete recount of the entire constituency”.
“The petitioner has further pointed out that there is a difference in the total votes recorded in Form-45 and Form-47.
“The petitioner has also submitted an application for the forensic audit of Form-45 with WhatsApp/RTS on April 30,” said the order.
It further noted that consolidation of the result had not yet been completed.
“The margin of victory is less than five per cent of the total votes polled in the constituency or 10,000 votes whichever is less in accordance with the provisions of Section 95 (5) of the (Elections) Act, the Commission is satisfied that prima facie case exists for intervention, and therefore stay the consolidation process,” the order said.
PPP candidate Abdul Qadir Mandokhail won the election by securing 16,150 votes, according to unofficial results. PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail trailed with 15,473 votes.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) Mufti Nazeer Kamalvi clinched the third spot with 11,125 votes, followed by Mustafa Kamal of the PSP who bagged 9,227 votes.
Afridi secured 8,922 votes while Hafiz Mursaleen of the MQM won 7,511.
